Known optical devices with an adjustable optical surface are for example adjustable or variable mirrors that are readily formable and can be changed into various configurations where an elastic or flexible material having one surface functioning as a reflecting surface can be bent thanks to actuation means. According to known embodiments, the flexible mirror is mounted in a frame and distributed load and/or axial loads are applied to the flexible mirror thanks to mechanical means such as screws or pins.
Other known optical devices with at least one adjustable surface are lenses, such as for example intra ocular implants. Said implants include a synthetic or organic material which may be adaptable by ablation by a laser beam and/or may be increased or decreased in volume and/or in refractive index when irradiated with energy such as light at a particular wave length, microwaves or thermal energy. Such an implant may be used to modify the curvature of a live cornea when implanted therein and be suitable for correcting eyes suffering from hypermetropy, myopia astigmatism or cataract. Although the surface of the implant can be shaped to a desired surface, once the desired surface is obtained it is no more possible, or at least very hard, to modify the implant surface.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to develop optical devices with at least one optical surface that can be adjusted and finely tuned and also be actuated in a reversible way to provide a plurality of complex optical functions.